Retailers Down on Brick-and-Mortar Concerns -- Consumer Roundup

Shares of retailers and other consumer-services companies fell amid concerns about the outlook for brick-and-mortar retailers.

Meanwhile, Kroger added to gains as analysts applauded its decision to likely sell its nearly-800 convenience stores and cut other costs, as the nation's largest traditional grocer prepares for intensified competition from Amazon.com, which recently acquired Whole Foods Market.

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Initial jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs across the U.S., decreased by 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 243,000 in the week ended Oct. 7, the Labor Department said Thursday.